Annual Report 04/2015 -03/2016 RESILIENCE LOVE’s Mission To break the cycle of violence in the lives of young people and in our communities by building a team of youth leaders who communicate a message of anti-violence.

LOVE’s Lens We use a broad youth-driven definition of violence, which allows for issues such as self-harm, substance use, cyber-bullying (cyber-violence), physical and emotional violence, stigmatization and marginalization, as well as racism, sexism, homophobia and all other forms of intentional exclusion, to be included in our conversations about violence. Table of Contents

2 Message from the Chair

3 Programming

4 Programming Highlights

Message from the 7 Fundraising Committee

8 Financials

9 Supporters

1 RESILIENCE Message from the Chair

What does resilience mean to you? To me, our supporters are resilient – whether they’re the volunteers who continually give up their evenings, or the funders who take the time to understand our programming and its vital importance. Our staff are resilient – especially this year, as they faced change. We said goodbye to familiar faces, including outgoing Executive Director Tasha Nijjar, and welcomed incoming ED Lambrini Soulos (who herself showed resilience with a move to the West Coast). But more than anything, resilience is our youth. It’s LOVE BC’s young people that come back week after week, attend programming, and share their lived experience. It’s our young people who, despite the barriers they might face, see the worthiness and potential in themselves and others. It’s our young people who provide honest feedback so we can continually improve how and where we connect with them; and it’s our young people who fearlessly – and resiliently – become anti-violence leaders in their communities. If you’re reading this, you are among the resilient – and we thank you for showing it this year and beyond. With gratitude and LOVE, Heather Stoutenburg Board Chair

2 RESILIENCE Programming

Media Arts Program (MAP) MAP is an after-school program for youth aged 13 to 18, with multiple barriers who identify as having been affected by violence. Youth and staff work collaboratively with their peers to develop a variety of multimedia and media literacy skills to share personal and/or community experiences. Topics explored include team building, violence prevention, anti-oppression, and media arts. MAP was delivered in three locations this year: the Broadway Youth Resource Centre, Byrne Creek Secondary School, Outreach and Kwantlen Park Secondary School. LOVE outreaches are workshops that are hosted in community spaces and Leadership facilitated by LOVE youth and staff. Topics and Leadership is a comprehensive projects are tailored to the year-long program that covers a needs identified by the wide range of topics and involves group. This year we reached participatory learning. 4278 British Columbians Youth draw on the media arts skills through 32 outreaches. that they developed in MAP and learn facilitation and public speaking skills by co-facilitating workshops in schools and other community spaces. Leadership youth also participate in the development of programs and workshops for all internal LOVE programs.

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95% 96% 100%

of youth stated that they of youth identified agreater of youth in the Leadership developed new friendships knowledge of how violence program feel that they have and strengthened current affects the community. tools to respond to violence, support networks. discrimination and bullying.

Violence Prevention Committees (VPC) BEATS Magazine Violence Prevention Committees In 2016, we were proud to provide media arts and anti-oppression welcome BEATS Magazine based leadership training directly to the LOVE family. BEATS to youth with the eventual goal of magazine is a publication by creating self-sustaining committees. and for immigrant and refugee Youth participants in each cycle youth in the Lower Mainland. produced a collaborative multimedia BEATS is youth-run in every piece that looked at anti-violence aspect of the publication strategies that were specific to including editing, writing and their community. LOVE held VPCs decision making. in Revelstoke and with Pathways to Education in April and May 2015.

“Leave Out Violence has made such a large impact on my life. By being a participant in this Media Arts Program, I was able to learn skills that improved my communication and it challenged me to step out of my comfort zone. I learned how to lead and facilitate while having fun and making art. It’s been a colourful learning experience I will never forget.” –Amy, Alumni

4 RESILIENCE Programming Highlights June 13 2015 2014/2015 Graduation Graduates of the Leadership and Media Arts Programs celebrated their accomplishments with food, an art display, and a photo slideshow. All graduates recieved gifts as a thank you for their involvement and commitment throughout the year.

June 14 2015 Love Out Loud 8: Welcome to the Neighbourhood After three years at our temporary location, LOVE celebrated our return to the neighbourhood at the Main Street Car Free Day. LOVE youth facilitated arts activities, hosted and performed live entertainment and re-introduced themselves to the community.

August 17-22 2015 LOVE National Camp National Camp brought together LOVE Youth Leaders from across the country to Camp Wingate in Quebec, where they could learn from each other and collaborate on new projects.

November 16 2015 Unpacking Home: We Are Moving Again Supported by the Vancouve Foundation’s Fostering Change initiative, young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood prepared an interactive art exhibit and facilitated a community dialogue that brought together local residents, community organizations and businesses to talk about how communities can support youth transitioning out of care. March 4 2016 “LOVE is special to me Beats Magazine Gala Dinner and Art Sale because in LOVE, I can be BEATS magazine is a publication by and for immigrant and whoever I want to be and refugee youth in the Lower Mainland. The magazine’s youth be proud about it. I have steering committee organised a night of music, dance, learned many skills apart from food, and art to celebrate the magazine’s accomplishments art. I hope this program can and to raise money to continue their work. continue and make more people feel like home in this March 14-17 2016 diverse program.” Digital Journeys Project -Youth Program participant 2015 Leave Out Violence partnered with Overly Creative Minds at the Urban Native Youth Association for a week-long intensive film project. The program brought youth together to analyze media, have discussions around violence and discrimination, and then create a film! 5 RESILIENCE of LOVE youth had the opportunity to explore a 85% new art form. of LOVE youth identified that they felt supported to 94% be creative. of LOVE youth responded that they gained a 92% greater capacity to understand the link between homophobia, transphobia and violence. of LOVE youth identified feeling trusted and trusting their peers in the program. LOVE Youth Looking 89% for Employment 4%

Youth Gained Employment 14%

Youth Remaining in School 82%

“Connecting with other youth who are a part of the same cause was amazing. Knowing that there are other young people who can be so committed to a single cause of non -violence helps to give me faith in my own generation and people overall. I’ve learned to get past my shyness and be able to speak my mind. I’ve learned that there are so many people who are just as committed to LOVE around the globe. LOVE is CHANGING THE WORLD!” -Female Youth Leader, 19 yrs old 6 RESILIENCE Message from the Fundraising Committee

May 2015 LOVE hosted over 65 friends and supporters at LOVE Affair at the Loden Hotel penthouse. The event raised just shy of $7,000 for LOVE programs. Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about LOVE and youth programming, purchase youth photography and bid on silent auction items donated by businesses and organizations such as: Hard Rock Hotel, Nita Lake Lodge, SKN Clinic, Saje Natural Wellness and Éminence Organics, just to name a few. The event was also sponsored by Blakes LLP and .

May 2015 LOVE BC was the featured charity of Barre Fitness’ “Raise the Barre.” Every month, Barre Fitness™ proudly sponsors a charity or cause as requested by clients. 100% of proceeds from every Sunday’s “Raise the Barre” class goes towards these organizations. $380 was donated to LOVE programs.

December 2015 LOVE was selected as the recipient charity of ’ Lower Mainland holiday gala, receiving a $8,115 donation from ticket sales and employee contributions.

February 2016 LOVE was selected as Marquis Wine Cellars’ featured charity recipient for its “Winegrams” event. In the same month, LOVE was 102.7 the PEAK radio’s Charity of the Month.

7 RESILIENCE Financials 2015-2016

Revenue ($273,371) Fundraising Events Public Foundations 4.98% 16.6% Individual Donations 1.87% Services to Other Orgs 1.59% Business Corporations 29.3%

Government Grants 45.66%

Expenses ($260,916) Fundraising 1.32% Administrative 10.52%

LEAVE OUT VIOLENCE (LOVE) SOCIETY BC Balance Sheet Outreach March 31 13.22% 2016 2015

Assets Leadership Current Cash and cash equivalents $ 218,330 $ 251,404 22.04% Accounts Receivable 2,553 8,502 GST Receivable 893 554 MAP Burnaby Prepaid expenses and deposit 5,610 2,110 17.63% 227,386 262,570 Equipment 2,147 2,477

$ 229,553 $ 265,047 MAP Surrey Liabilities 17.63% Current MAP Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 8,272 $ 15,758 17.63% Deferred contributions 55,017 95,500

63,289 111,258

Net Assets

Invested in Equipment 2,147 2,477 Internally Restricted Contingency Reserve 57,972 57,372 Unrestricted 106,111 93,940

166,244 153,789

$ 229,533 $ 265,047 8 RESILIENCE Supporters

Community members who believe in youth engagement and empowerment provide LOVE BC with vital support. Your support enables us to change lives and make our communities safe. Thank you! Government Out on Screen/Out in Schools PeerNetBC BC Arts Council Saje Natural Wellness BC Gaming Fund SKN Clinic BC Ministry of Justice/Youth Crime Prevention Vancouver Canucks City of Vancouver Vantage Point Corporate Zero Ceiling Program 107.7 The PEAK Barre Fitness Blakes LLP Community Partners Car2go Vancouver Broadway Youth Resource Centre CKNW Orphans’ Fund Byrne Creek Secondary School Check Your Head Economical Mutual Insurance Company Car Free Day on Main Street Encana Corporation Eagle High - PCRS Community Endowment Fund Fostering Change - Vancouver Foundation Intact Insurance Kwantlen Park Secondary School McKesson Foundation Overly Creative Minds Royal Bank of Canada Pathways to Education TELUS Foundations and Charitable Organizations Special thank you to all our generous individual anonymous donors! Averbach Family Foundation Canada Post Community Foundation The Christian Community of Saint Faith Charitable Impact Foundation Giving Tree Foundation Jackman Foundation Provincial Employees Community Services Fund St Faith’s Anglican Church Vancouver Foundation Gifts of LOVE In-Kind Broadway Youth Resource Centre Ed Oldfield Éminence Organics Everything Wine Float House Granville Island Arts Club Hard Rock Hotel Harper Grey LLP KC Kids Landsea Tours Nita Lake Lodge

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Board of Directors Heather Stoutenburg Katie Jamieson Lyla Hunter Elinor McNamee-Annett David Ingram Krista Sheppard Pej Mahlooji Andrew Crabtree Nicole MacLellan Elaine Zitner Allen (Youth Rep) Emily (Youth Rep) Nel (Youth Rep) Core Volunteers Andres Sanchez Mahmood Aziz Simran Sarwara Usman Mushtaq Vi Levitt

Staff Lambrini Soulos, Executive Director Jennifer Sarkar, Program Director Mutya Macatumpag, Program Facilitator Ivo Blackstone, Program Facilitator Omar Chu, Office Coordinator Jeo Mateo, Alumni Co-Facilitator Kaya Noyes, Alumni Co-Facilitator Samantha Kohlen, Alumni Co-Facilitator Best wishes to our former staff. Thank you! Tasha Nijjar, Executive Director lee williams boudakian, Program Director Gavin Kade Somers, Program & Outreach Coordinator Ela Esra Gunad, Director of Communications and Development Ashley Crossan, Youth Staff Alysha Adams, Youth Staff

10 Leave Out Violence (LOVE) Society BC email: [email protected] Facebook: /leaveoutviolence Twitter: @LoveWiredBC Website: bc.leaveoutviolence.org Registered Charity Number: 841769680RR0001